High Desert Cutters~2011 Final Show

~You can be happy in any 

circumstances if you have to~

~Pauline Cody 1903~

Our local cutting club, the High Desert Cutters, had its final show for the season on Saturday. It was held at the Harney County fairgrounds this time and the cattle were trucked in.

We had 5 shows this season. Some years we've had more, but the availability of cattle is not easy...even if we are in cattle country! Everyone's cows are out on grazing land and they're not readily available. So, we take what we can get.

Colt and I missed the first show in April when I was at my Mike Bridges Clinic. The second show, we did OK, but Colt and I hadn't worked a herd of cows since September of 2010. We didn't have a high enough score to earn us any points.

But we were getting better...the last two shows Colt and I won our class, and that put us into second place...in the running for that coveted 1st place buckle!

I've been riding up into the next class above me for a warm up. The last two shows it was a wreck. But Saturday, Colt felt really on!

The first cow was perfect and it was an awesome feeling. But, something happened and the cows in the herd decided to come forward and they got in the way of the cow I was cutting. I didn't want to stir up the herd, so I just backed off and lost the cow. We still scored a 65...it would have been a 71 if things had gone right. Stuff like that happens.

Then in my class, Colt felt really good. The first cow was pretty nice, but I was being cautious because this particular herd was a lil' more flighty than the previous herd in the 150 class. When I worked the second cow, I made it a quick work, 'cause I had this feelin' the cow would get pushy real quick and I'd loose him...so I quit while I was ahead. I just got my third cow out and my time was up...we scored a 69...and won the class!!!

I was so excited...that was three classes in a row (3 different shows in the 125 class) that I'd won...would I have enough points to take first place and win the buckle?!?

Nope...I was one point behind the leading horse in the year end standings...

But, I'm not sad or frustrated by any means. Colt worked wonderfully and I'm SOOOOO PROUD of him!!!  If we keep it up, we'll do just as good or better when we go to the Lakeview Stock Horse Show and when we compete in our Harney County Reined Stock Horse Futurity...this is Colt's last year as a 6 year old in the Futurity!

So, that was our big day on Saturday...lots of fun, good horses, good cattle, great friends, and lots of sunshine...a perfect day!!!

In the video, the first cow is from the 150 class that I rode up into and the second and third cows are from my 125 class.

Thanks for comin' along...and I appreciate all your well wishes...they mean a lot to me!

OH...and a big thank you to My Man for all his support, and thanks to my friend Andi for the use of her great photos!